We discovered Wayla because it was nice day out and we were looking for a restaurant with some outdoor seating. Unfortunately, they were all booked up but we're impressed by the aethstetics of it and opted to try to make a reservation for another night. So we came here on a late Friday night (like 9:30pm), which surprisingly was not crowded. It may have been due to the Knicks Game. Anyway, we ordered the lemonade and the pear drinks. Both were very good, especially the lemonade. For apps, we ordered some puffs. They were good as well but we were surprised at the portion as it was only 2. For mains, we ordered the veggie curry, the mushroom fried rice, the half duck and the pork dish. All were very good. The only critique that we have was that the duck took a while to get to us as it was accidentally delivered to the wrong table and we ended up taking most of it to go. All in all it was a good dining experience with great food, nice ambiance, and relatively attentive service. read more

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Overall, this restaurant is pretty solid to go if you have a lot of time and don't mind waiting for the waiter to order or having to remind them 3 times for utensils or a bowl of rice. Upon arriving at this cozy restaurant downstairs, there was a good amount of people inside, but a few open tables and seats at the bar. However, it was shocking to hear a couple sat by the table grab the waiter and say they've waited over 15 minutes and no one checked in and they barely got water at the table. Ignoring that, the food is definitely tasty, starting with the apps that we got, with a creative dip for the calamari that most other places don't offer. The fish is also a standout, and very worth the value, providing a crispy take on the branzino with a marvelous dipping sauce. However, the rest of the dishes were lackluster in taste and very expensive compared to the other top Thai restaurants in NYC. I think the ambiance is good for smaller groups, but the wait staff all seem very rushed and not patient when we ordered or asked for simple things around the table. read more

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We were very excited to try Wayla and had a reservation on the upstairs section. Unfortunately, it just didn't hit the mark for us. We were seated right next to the restroom and the door was consistently kept open so we could see the toilet. Not the greatest ambiance. We also asked our waiter what to order and he straight up said "everything is good". We would have appreciated a little more guidance than that. For the food, I got beans with tofu. I've ordered this dish multiple times at multiple other Thai restaurants, and the beans are usually very well cooked and wrinkly. My order was almost completely raw beans. My friends ordered a soup which was too spicy for her, and the waiter didn't ask for our spice levels. My other friend ordered the lettuce wraps which she said were decent, but quite expensive for a small plate of food. Also, the rice on the side was $5, but came in a really small portion barely enough for two people. It was really yummy rice though (the purple kind!) and came in a leaf that they steamed. read more

Wayla - String Beans with Tofu - Tua Pad Prik Khing - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

10/10!!! Great service, food came fast, tasted like I was transported to Phuket. The crab curry was absolutely amazing. The curry puffs were also delicious. I came on a Friday evening- definitely recommend making a reservation. read more

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This is a very solid Thai restaurant. All the food I had had unique flavors that were still rooted in authentic Thai food, and I felt like everything was executed very well. The papaya salad was refreshing and flavorful. The chicken wings were crisp and also quite flavorful, although I do wish they were bigger. The chicken curry was good, and the mango sticky rice mousse dessert was great. It was a nice day, and we sat outside in the back, which was very enjoyable. The service was great too! read more

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YUM! I've been to Wayla twice now and the food was delicious both times. Some of the usual Thai restaurant classics aren't on the menu (drunken noodles, pad see ew) but the variety offered here more than makes up for it. Dishes I would definitely order again include the mango salad, duck green curry, crab curry, crab fried rice, and the fried branzino. We received a fair warning that the crab curry was on the spicier end, and it really was. It's more of a building spice, but still flavorful and delicious nonetheless. I hoped to enjoy the NY strip steak more than I actually did - I would opt for the fried branzino instead. Drinks here are a bit on the pricier side, even for the non alcoholic drinks. My drinks both times were also unfortunately full of ice. Service is attentive but not overbearing at all. Highly recommend reservations as this gets PACKED even for a Thursday evening. Seating is catered more towards smaller groups - 3-4 would probably be best here. Ambiance is cozy & intimate. read more

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If you are planning to visit Wayla, here is the short answer: Go for the food, but do your best to skip Saturday nights. I went recently with a group of friends before heading out for the night. The food is genuinely excellent. The Whole Fried Branzino (Larb Pla Tod) is the absolute standout. I am usually skeptical of whole fish because it often comes out dry, but this was perfect. The batter is light and keeps the meat incredibly juicy. It is served with a lime vinaigrette that cuts through the richness. It was honestly one of the best things I have eaten in a while. The service was also a highlight. Despite how busy it was, our server was attentive and happy to walk us through the extensive menu. They clearly care about the food and the guests. However, the atmosphere on a Saturday night is overwhelming. The restaurant is located down a flight of stairs and gets incredibly packed. We were seated on the patio, which sounds nice in theory. In reality, it consisted of plastic tents that looked like emergency shelters. It felt like an overflow holding area rather than a dining space. It was not cozy at all. The energy tips from "buzzy" into "stressful" on weekends. You feel like a number in a tightly choreographed rotation to turn tables. The Verdict: The food is worth the trip. I can absolutely see myself craving that fish again. But next time, I will make a reservation on a Tuesday or Wednesday to avoid the weekend circus and actually enjoy the meal. Pro Tip: Order the Branzino and make a reservation well in advance, but aim for a weeknight if you want a relaxing vibe. read more

Wayla - Whole fried branzino - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

It looks like the restaurant owns a floor above and underground. Watch out for the stairs if you're going below as the steps are steep and narrow. It almost feels like a speakeasy. Upon entering in the place looked cozy and seemed great for a fancy but casual spot to eat. We ordered the moo sarong, noodles wrapped in pork meatballs for appetizer. I think it was a little too hard for us and didn't realize how small it was, they seem about 1.5 inch big. For someone with braces it was really hard for me to bite down and eat so if you have sensitive teeth I would recommend to order something else. We enjoyed the crab fried rice and the sauce that came with it. The portion of the crab was meaty and it was flavorful. The ribs were also really soft and fell off the bone. Wish it came with a bowl of rice for the price since it was 35 for about 6 pieces, but because we had the fried rice to go along with the dish it was okay for us. I think it's a decent spot with good dishes but maybe we didn't order the right items for us that it didn't hit the mark completely for us. read more

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I get the hype around this place because the food was absolutely amazing. Each dish was flavorful and fresh. My favorite was definitely the crab fried rice with the noodles as a close second. The duck was super tender and the green curry definitely had a kick to it. The seating is intimate and the vibe of the restaurant really topped everything off. The service was efficient and friendly. I would highly recommend this thai spot for date night or to bring friends! read more

Wayla - Green Curry Duck - Gang Keaw Wan Ped Crab Fried Rice - Khao Pad Pu Pad See-iew Kung - Shrimp - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Wayla brings the soul of Thai home cooking into a polished space that still feels relaxed and inviting. The energy is lively, the cocktails are playful, and every dish pops with layers of flavor. The Lobster Curry were incredible--the fish cooked beautifully and the lobster so rich. But the showpiece for me was the roasted duck paired with a bold green curry... tender, aromatic, and deeply satisfying. If you're exploring Chinatown and craving something vibrant and comforting, this spot delivers. Dont forget to get the durian sticky rice for the dessert. read more

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The food was pretty good -- interesting flavours, different across the several dishes we ordered, and good textures too. We ordered the beef jerky, beef curry, papaya salad, seafood pad char, and crab sen chan pad pu. The menu had many dishes I wasn't familiar with, but our server was patient and thorough when it came to explaining everything and helping us choose our order. The beef jerky was a surprise favourite with a crispy texture, and the seafood dishes were great too. Relatively quick service and nice atmosphere. It did get pretty loud as the evening progressed, but easy to talk earlier in the evening. read more

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A trendy spot in LES serving up Thai eats -- it's tucked away in a basement, so definitely be on the lookout or you might walk past. The dim lighting and ambiance works with the overall vibe, but we were sitting near what felt like a cold wind tunnel. It's an overall good spot for Thai, but not sure if it would be in my regular rotation. The Lobster Pad Thai was just OK for the price, noodles felt a bit clumpy and not super flavorful. On the flip side, Salmon Green Curry was a strong standout -- I'd go back for this alone! read more

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If I could give Wayla more than 5 stars, I would. We had an exceptional experience! Great service, chill ambiance. Every dish was fresh, hot and delicious. We enjoyed: Nua Sa Wan - thai style crispy beef jerky Khao Krep Pak Mor - crepe dumpling Gang Keaw Wan Ped - roasted duck green curry Sen Chan Pad Crab - crab pad thai Beautiful plating, generous portions equals win-win! Looking forward to our next visit. read more

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Rating 3.5 Decent upscale Thai restaurant in LES. The restaurant is basement level, so you need to climb down some steps to get inside. We had a dinner res on a weekday night. The ambiance is nice and the place was fairly empty when we got there, but it filled up quickly and it got extremely loud (had to almost shout to talk to the person across the table). We ordered the yellow vegetable curry and the pork ribs. The ribs were good and came with a tangy sauce, but there was barely any meat on the bones, so definitely pricey for what you get. We also generally enjoyed the flavors of the vegetable curry, but I felt that the curry was essentially 70% brussel sprouts, which I didn't expect. Overall a decent spot but not particularly standout. read more

Wayla - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Came here on a Tuesday evening - so so good!! Definitely coming back and sitting in the patio again. Best summer vibes. Get the pad thai, crab fried rice, and branzino! read more

Wayla was a suggestion from one of our NYC kiddos for a reunion dinner after having not seen them in a while. What a great spot! Pay close attention to the address - it's easy to walk by. We enjoyed a table in the open patio, tastefully decorated with string lights. We enjoyed all the food that we ordered abd shared family-style. The staff was very kind and helpful with suggestions. We had the crepe dumplings, pad Thai, and BBQ pok ribs with a peanut sauce. All yummy! Everyone eleae had cocktails thay they really enjoyed and were pretty to boot! It was a tad pricey, however. read more

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Food was delicious! The crispy beef jerky was too spicy for me so I didn't enjoy it (as I am not someone who enjoys spicy food) However, the wings, sticky rice & bbq ribs were SO good & flavorful. Service was great/staff were friendly & accommodating. The restaurant is super nice & pretty. read more

Wayla - Purple Sticky Rice BBQ Ribs Beef Jerky - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Both very good, atmosphere was amazing and service was great. Will come back again for dinner read more

Wayla - ordered some appetizers: calamari & the sausage - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

I came with a larger group on a weekday. The entrance was a little hard to find but if you wall down the stairs the entrance is there. We ordered a bunch of apps and entrees to share. Everything was so fresh and seasoned well. I really liked the summer rolls and the papaya salad. We also got the ribs and the duck which were both cooked very well. The service was very quick and they kept replacing our plates because they knew we were sharing which I really appreciated. read more

Wayla - Mushroom - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

I came here on a Sunday night and to be honest I found this place quite hard to find. If I remembered correctly, it was actually downstairs. I ordered their curry puff and their crab fried rice and I think my favorite was probably the curry puff, I wish the portions were bigger for this dish. Though I understand that it was more of an appetizer. read more

Wayla was so delicious! It felt like we were at someone's backyard and the food tasted super authentic. The service was pretty good too because even though they gave us the wrong order, they quickly fixed it. We ordered two apps, two mains, two rice and one veggie dish for a party of 4 and we were STUFFED. Must try's are the fried branzino, lobster pad thai and crab fried rice. The branzino surprised me because I thought it'll be a whole fish but it was cut up filet which I love (I hate bones). The pad thai was full of flavor. There was a generous amount of crab in the fried rice and paired well with the sauce it came with. Would skip the fried chicken (the wings were very small, I like juicier wings) and the crab truffle spring roll was dry and bland. Drinks were yummy! read more

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I simply like this place cause it has such a chill vibe. Great for small groups who wants to chit chat with drinks and little nibbles of everything. Compliments to the chef as everything there was amazing. The sauce complimented all the dishes. They definitely did their homework in making it memorable. I apologize in advance if I did mess up on some of the dishes names as I had a bit to drink that night and didn't quite remember all the dishes except the fact that it the flavors were exceptional. Downside was that it was a tad dim to see the menu. Needed our phones to read through it before ordering. read more

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Dimly lit and hard to find, this is a hole in the wall phenomenal spot. The entrance is easy to miss as you take a few steps below street level but the hostess was there to flag me and other lost patrons down. To start, the cocktails were yummy with interesting flavor profiles and sake was smooth. The food is fantastic and very thought out. The wings - which were perfectly savory with a sweet fruity sauce - were cut in half to minimize the mess. Insane attention to detail! The papaya salad was mid though, you could skip. The spring rolls had a nice crunch too. The lobster noodles were amazing. There's not much more to say other than you have to try it for yourself. Maybe my favorite item: the ribs. The flavor, spectacular. Sweet savory. They were perfectly tender as well read more

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*A steep staircase, entering the space isolated from the noise of the outside world; *The light is dim and warm, like an old movie that has been polished by time. *Hanging pot green plants add softness and tranquility *The music flows slowly, as if telling you that life can be slowed down and you can savor the beauty of every moment. Love this place and food read more

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This spot is cute. I'm not a big fan of eating in sub levels or the basement, especially in New York, but the ambiance and dim lighting makes you forget you are below the ground. Their patio is also really cute The staff is great, very welcoming, friendly, and polite. The drinks are good, I really enjoyed their sway wayla drink. We ordered a bunch of apps, they were all solid except for the calamri, it was very chewy however the avocado dip that came with it was bomb. The entrees were also soli, I had the bbq fried rice and the portion was enough to take leftovers home. Reservations are recommended, the place was packed on a Sat night. read more

NYC has so many solid Thai spots and Wayla is one of them. The restaurant is tucked away down a set of stairs that may be hard to find initially, but the employees at Little Wayla, the café a couple doors down, can help direct you. We were a pretty large party so we got to try a lot of dishes, and all were great. I personally liked the truffle spring rolls (pictured), khao soi, and crab fried rice. Wayla offers large portion sizes and is great for sharing. read more

Wayla - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Elegant interior makes this place a perfect choice for an intimate date. Helpful service, dim lighting and chill music definitely put you in the right mood. The menu is filled with inventive options. Peek Gai Tod (chicken wings): very tiny wings, but yummy. Don't expect a lot of meat, though. Pla Muk Tod (crispy calamari): standard. Loved the lime avocado sauce that came with them. Poh Pia Pu (crab, truffle and mushrooms spring rolls): kinda plain... couldn't taste any of the ingredients. Moo Yang Som Tum Set (bbq pork with papaya salad): the pork was tender, but could have been more flavorful. The papaya salad wasn't spicy at all. Overall, you'd expect a Thai restaurant of this caliber to have very flavorful dishes, but this wasn't our experience. We enjoyed our food, but it could have been more flavorful, or at least spicier. It didn't feel authentic... and prices were a little too high compared to the quality and originality of the food. read more

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food was decent but the portions were a bit small for the price. The interior vibe was good for dates. I disapproved the service though. We made reservations and arrived early. The restaurants had many empty tables and the staff gave use the one closest to the door and didn't allow us to swap to the same type of seatings further away from the entrance. We won't be back as there are better options nearby and other parts of manhattan anyway read more

Wayla - Fried fish and veggie curry - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Not gonna lie - was a little disappointed with the food here. The service was definitely nice, and the ambiance is cute (we were sat outside), but for a Thai restaurant, I was hoping for a little more flavor and overall spice. We ordered a total of 4 appetizers and two main plates to share amongst the 4 of us. I would say my favorite was actually the calamari with the avocado lime sauce which I was surprised about because I don't even think I've ordered something like that at a Thai restaurant. The wings were good, albeit very small. I don't know - the food in general was just ok, and I think TikTok is the only reason we came here. There's so much better Thai in NYC 100%. read more

Wayla - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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Totally surprised by this restaurant. I walked in unknowingly. Walked out a belie. Food outstanding. Bartender so good. read more

Wayla - Dumplings and bbq ribs - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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The food was good! Definitely would recommend Maa's gaeng pak (yellow vegetable curry - very flavourful with a sweet note to it) & the Sen Chan Pad Lobster (lobster pad Thai). The Som Tum Thai (papaya salad) and Larb Pla Tod (branzino) were also good if you like more of a light and refreshing dish! They talked up the Moo Sarang but flavor-wise was nothing too special. Outdoor ambiance was good. It was quieter than indoors which I appreciated. read more

Wayla - Sen Chan pad lobster - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

Had this on my list for some time and finally gave it a try. Good Thai food; vibe was chill and good music playing. Service was on point; waiter suggested dishes based on our liking and he couldn't have been wrong! My fav was the kua kling kung if you were looking for something spicy and delicious. My mouth was on fire but I enjoyed every bit of it. We also had the salmon and lobster noodles and both were flavorful. Will def return to try other items on the menu. read more

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The food here is really good. I tried the vegetable curry and pad thai here. The pad thai had a flavorful, slightly sweet sauce, and I really enjoyed the texture of the grilled tofu on top. The curry was rich without being overwhelming, and full of plenty of vegetables. The meal worked out to about $35 per person, which is a bit pricey but worth it. read more

Wayla - Maa's Gaeng Pak - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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I used to find Wayla a solid 4 but during the last visit, I found the food to be a bit flat. For apps, we got the calamari, papaya salad, chicken spring roll, and the bbq beef. Surprisingly, I found the calamari to be the stand out from the apps. It was crispy and seasoned well, paired with their delectable sauce. The disappointment was the papaya salad, not as much flavor as I would like and medium spice was very mild. Additionally the chicken spring rolls were dry and flavorless. Onto the mains: Crab fried rice - I would recommend this as they give chunks of crab. It's always a solid dish and very simple but delicious when pairing with the other dishes. Ribs - they were solid but nothing too special for me personally. Fried whole fish - I enjoyed this! Fish stayed crispy and the sauce was enjoyable. Steak - Would skip, nothing too memorable Lobster pad Thai - would skip this. Pad Thai noodles were clumpy and gluey. For an expensive dish and for it being Pad Thai, I was highly disappointed. It also didn't taste as traditional as I would like (flavor wise). Curry - vegetarian but surprisingly I enjoyed it because the curry itself was flavorful. I would get this again. Also my Thai iced tea tasted very watered down. The other individuals in my group who ordered same also agreed. That said, service was good. To be honest, there's a lot of Thai restaurants, especially good ones coming up in the last couple years so I'm not sure I'll be coming back that soon. read more

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Hidden Thai food restaurant in LES ! I was hosting my friend's birthday and actually I planed to reserve here before pandemic and finally accomplished !!! Food was excellent especially crab meat fried rice was everyone's favorite, I also love pork meat ball is really unique And Brussels sprouts was spicy yummy!! The wait stuff were all very kind and attentive. Of course their interior was worth of photograph not only patio also cool box seat. read more

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A restaurant that has got it all down to the details! A rare find. Delicious food, highly competent, friendly staff, and warm, well-designed environment. The restaurant is tucked away in a ground level space, so it's a restaurant you seem to have to know about in order to find. I am glad to have stumbled upon it online. The curry was full of seemingly super fresh vegetables - Brussels spouts, the sort of medium-sized carrots with stems that remind me of a farm-to-table restaurants, broccoli. Ie unique vegetables for a curry. The added grilled shrimp to the curry were grilled well. The side of purple sticky rice was unique and elevated the dish. It's nice for the restaurant to have thought of ways to make simple things like rice special. My friend got the tofu "long beans" dish which was similarly delicious. For dessert I got the mango mousse which was great, but I thought the purple sticky rice it came on top of was unnecessary. I know it's a play on mango and sticky rice but rice after rice for dinner wasn't too appealing. I would recommend they do away with the rice but other than that about as good as it gets for an upscale yet casual meal. read more

Wayla - Mango mousse - Thai Near Me - New York, New York

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RATING: 7.5/10 PRO TIP: Get the branzino - it was our favorite dish. One thing this place is good for is not holding back on portion sizes. BRANZINO - wasn't sure what to expect but this was my favorite. Tender, frittery, crispy pieces of branzino fish in Thai sauces/seasonings with veggies. Makes for a pretty delicious stir fry that you don't really see too often. This was recommended to us, too, and glad we went with it. CRAB FRIED RICE - crab fried rice is hard to knock out of the park solely because there's so many places that make this. It was a good fried rice, fluffy, well cooked, no hard pieces, and there was a good portion of crab, and if you make sure to use the sauce on the side, it will take it from good to GREAT. LOBSTER PAD THAI The pad thai noodles themselves I've had better at many other places; it's not bad by any means, but it was a little soggy/perhaps overcooked or too much sauce. The lobster was good, but not sure this dish was greater than the sum of its parts. I'm not huge on lobster, though. FINAL CATEGORY: GREAT (terrible / bad / ok / good / GREAT / excellent) read more

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Food was overall very good! Service was attentive and friendly. Ambiance was ok, the layout of the restaurant was weird

So Thai is one of favorite food. So I tried this cute place and I enjoyed my time there. I ate outside but inside was also nice. Outside had a nice scenery, lots of plants & mural. Waiter was pleasant. I ordered the moo sarong (pork meatballs) but they weren't for my liking. We ordered the lobster dish and the duck. Although it's in the basement the esthetics is very nice read more

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Ambiance: good, a bit dark but nice kinda fancy. small but not crazy for ny Food: everything we ordered was solid across the board but theres a lot of good thai in ny, so it didnt particularly blow me away. Crab fried rice is generous w the crab and the vegetable curry is good too. The fried branzino id skip - ive had better nonfried branzino elsewhere the food is very good but i just feel like nyc has a lot of good thai so the bar is higher. the crab fried rice is good but yea just nothing crazy special for ny. if youre visiting the city tho this will guarantee a good meal Dessert: had high hopes; got the mango sticky rice mousse and it was just ok. quality ingredients but nothing crazy flavor or texture-wise. no mango chunks read more

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